diff --git a/dev-support/test-patch.sh b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
index 1ad507a326e..4b2d1155800 100755
--- a/dev-support/test-patch.sh
+++ b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ checkJavadocWarnings () {
   echo "There appear to be $javadocWarnings javadoc warnings generated by the patched build."
 
   ### if current warnings greater than OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS
-  if [[ $javadocWarnings > $OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS ]] ; then
+  if [[ $javadocWarnings -gt $OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS ]] ; then
     JIRA_COMMENT="$JIRA_COMMENT
 
     -1 javadoc.  The javadoc tool appears to have generated `expr $(($javadocWarnings-$OK_JAVADOC_WARNINGS))` warning messages."
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ $JIRA_COMMENT_FOOTER"
   done
 
   ### if current warnings greater than OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS
-  if [[ $findbugsWarnings > $OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS ]] ; then
+  if [[ $findbugsWarnings -gt $OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS ]] ; then
     JIRA_COMMENT="$JIRA_COMMENT
 
     -1 findbugs.  The patch appears to introduce `expr $(($findbugsWarnings-$OK_FINDBUGS_WARNINGS))` new Findbugs (version ${findbugs_version}) warnings."